PS4: The Hottest Exclusives Yet To Come In 2014!

Sony are masters of The Long Game, and you can't fault their dedication. Instead of cutting the PS3 loose on the run-up to the PS4's launch, they instead delivered an emphatic exclusive lineup throughout 2013, which in turn means that some of their biggest first-party exclusives won't be ready until next year. "Greatness awaits."

But does that mean there's nothing to play on PS4 this year? Not on your nelly. Cross-platform releases notwithstanding, plenty of exclusives large and small are slated for Sony's slanty machine over the coming months.

So for your convenience, here are the hottest PS4 exclusives of 2014 along with European release dates.

The Last Of Us Remastered | August 1st

If you made the jump to PS4 directly from PC, Wii or Xbox 360, The Last Of Us Remastered will allow you to get to grips with one of the PS3's most critically-acclaimed exclusives in a definitive edition. Sporting overhauled visuals based on cutscene assets and all previously-released content, I daresay that even diehard PS3 owners will be champing at the bit to get on board with this atmospheric, frequently terrifying and thought-provoking experience, especially since it should put the hardware through its paces.

Hohokum | August 13th

Following the success of Frobisher Says on Vita, Honeyslug are working on a very different kind of PlayStation exclusive. Hohokum is vaguely reminiscent of Noby Noby Boy at first glance, charging us with flying a colourful serpent creature around some colourful environments packed with whimsical surprises. Described as a 'playground,' the experience is based around exploration and relaxation, and just seeing where the winds take you. The perfect antidote to a particularly intense TLOU session, perhaps...

With luck, it'll be available as a cross-buy title on PS4, PS3 and Vita.

Natural Doctrine | September 19th

Kadokawa's ferociously difficult tactical RPG is finally ready to leave Japanese shores, presenting players with a darker and fiercely challenging take on the genre. Japanese outlets are undecided about whether it's rewarding or frustrating in the main, and the graphics aren't much to write home about, but we'll deliver our full verdict nearer the time. Could this be a localised cult classic?

Driveclub | October 8th

Evolution's long-delayed racer may have failed to capture our imaginations, but it's certainly turned our heads thanks to its astonishing graphics and dynamic weather effects. It's about time that the PS4 received a first-party racer, and more to the point, a generous proportion of the game will be free to download and play for PlayStation Plus subscribers. You'd be mad not to give it a go!

Samurai Warriors 4 | October 24th

You know the drill.

LittleBigPlanet 3 | November TBA

We're always up for more LittleBigPlanet, seeing as its powerful editor allow you to create and download an enormous wealth of user-generated content spanning multiple gameplay genres. Indeed, we always bill it as the last game you'll ever need.

Though we're not entirely sold on whether the new characters are anything more than a gimmick, seeing as Media Molecule have handed the reins to Sumo Digital, we're beside ourselves with excitement about the fact that all existing levels will be compatible with the game at launch. Finally I can create the Sausagemobile of my wildest dreams.

Planetside 2 | TBA 2014

As someone who's been playing Planetside 2 religiously over the last few months and years, I can attest that SOE's massively multiplayer shooter is absolutely exceptional. Not only is fighting for territory alongside and against hundreds of other players (on foot, in vehicles, in planes, in mech suits, you name it) a consistent thrill, but its F2P economy is probably the fairest around.

Sony Online Entertainment are still coy about release dates, but by the looks of things it's still on course to release on PS4 this year. I'll be interested to see how they crunch an enormous selection of keyboard commands onto a DualShock 4, though.

Perfectly fine with this to be honest. Driveclub looks fantastic, Last Of Us I've never played as didn't own a PS3 and Little Big Planet is sure to keep the kids happy. Add that to multi plats like Far Cry 4, Assassins Creed, GTAV, Dragon Age, Metro Redux, Destiny, The Evil Within, Project Cars, there is plenty to be getting on with.

I've tried to submit this post three times now and it just keeps disappearing. Happens ALL the time when I post from my iphone...

But I'm massively unimpressed. TLOU - no point in this release. It's too late, pa3 version graphics were fine, most people would have played it to death anyway. Buying this game just because you have nothing better to play is silly. Drive club has been delayed a year already because it was crap. Will that year have made any great difference to a flawed game design? Probably not. Plus it's tarred with so much bad PR. LBP is marmite, I don't mind it, but it being made by a different studio means it may not be what people expect. Planetside 2 has already been out for two years in the superior PC format, SW4 - yawn, will be identical to the 20+ other KOEI games.

That leaves a couple of dubious Indy games, and multi plats. I'll not be trading my PS3 in for a PS4 this year, then...

I've tried to submit this post three times now and it just keeps disappearing. Happens ALL the time when I post from my iphone...

But I'm massively unimpressed. TLOU - no point in this release. It's too late, pa3 version graphics were fine, most people would have played it to death anyway. Buying this game just because you have nothing better to play is silly. Drive club has been delayed a year already because it was crap. Will that year have made any great difference to a flawed game design? Probably not. Plus it's tarred with so much bad PR. LBP is marmite, I don't mind it, but it being made by a different studio means it may not be what people expect. Planetside 2 has already been out for two years in the superior PC format, SW4 - yawn, will be identical to the 20+ other KOEI games.

That leaves a couple of dubious Indy games, and multi plats. I'll not be trading my PS3 in for a PS4 this year, then...

Sorry, I have to pipe up in defence of the Last Of Us. I've never played it as I came from 360 to PS4 and whilst I dont know the figures I think it's a pretty good bet that a LOT of people have switched the same way (if sales figures are anything to go by). So whilst the Last Of Us isn't necessarily something to buy if you had a PS3, its a title for the none PS3 owners to want to really play (like myself)